WIDN blog

The leaning tower of Pisa, which started to lean eastwards in the twelfth century as a result of inadequate foundations, is one of the most famous architectural blunders. Despite calls to straighten the tower, the Pisa has proved to be a magnet for tourists so instead of changing its appearance it has been stabilized and has UN heritage status.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Now it seems architectural practice RMJM is emulating the famous architectural blunder. But unlike the leaning tower of Pisa, this is no accident! It’s designed specifically to lean 18 degrees, that’s an incline four times more than the leaning tower of Pisa.

An integral part of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition, it’s now been submitted to the Guinness Book of Records for the ‘world’s most inclined building.’

Large glass panel before it is mounted into place on the tower

A flat bed truck half the size of an Olympic swimming pool recently delivered the first glazing panels to construct the tower.The first two glazing panels, each weighing approximately 5 tonnes, arrived with a police escort.

Indeed the whole construction method is pretty complex. The glass is shipped from the US to Abu Dhabi, while rolled steel tubes for the frames are laser cut in Austria before they are shipped to Mussafah to be welded together and glazed.

Glass panel mounted into place

The question remains, will buildings like Capital Gate attract tourists to Abu Dhabi in the way the leaning tower of Pisa has managed for over 900 years?